Gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chains and method and apparatus for making the same

ABSTRACT

Gapped and cleaned slide fastener chains including a pair of carrier tapes having their inner edges folded upon themselves to provide a seam-like appearance and having a plurality of filamentary stringers attached to the folded portions of the carrier tape at intervals separated by gapped and cleaned areas with stitching threads securing the stringers to the folded portions and running continuously through the gapped and cleaned areas. A method of making gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain of the above described type including supporting the slide fastener chain with the filamentary stringers exposed, positioned a plurality of vibrating heads over the exposed stringers in frictional engagement therewith, reciprocating the vibrating heads in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain, and moving the slide fastener chain such that the filamentary stringers sequentially pass under each of the vibrating heads. Apparatus for making gapped and cleaned seamtype slide fastener chain of the above described type includes a guide for supporting the slide fastener chain, a plurality of vibrating heads disposed over the chain in frictional engagement with the filamentary stringers, drive rollers cooperating with the guide for moving the slide fastener chain such that stringers sequentially pass under each of the vibrating heads, and a vibrator for reciprocating the vibrating heads relative to the slide fastener chain to remove severed portions of the filamentary stringers.

United States Patent Moertel et a].

[ 1 GAPPED AND CLEANED SEAM-TYPE SLIDE FASTENER CHAINS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME [75] Inventors: George B. Moertel, Conneautville;

James R. Johnston, Meadville, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Textron Inc., Providence, RI.

[22] Filed: June 26, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 266,095

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 33,419, April 30, 1970,

3,391,441 7/1968 Carlile 29/408 3,538,582 11/1970 Perlman 29/207.5 D 3,541,666 ll/l97O Van Amberg 29/408 3,631,581 l/1972 Moertel 29/408 Primary Examiner-Thomas Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander R. Field ,lan. 29, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT Gapped and cleaned slide fastener chains including a pair of carrier tapes having their inner edges folded upon themselves to provide a seam-like appearance and having a plurality of filamentary stringers attached to the folded portions of the carrier tape at intervals separated by gapped and cleaned areas with stitching threads securing the stringers to the folded portions and running continuously through the gapped and cleaned areas. A method of making gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain of the above described type including supporting the slide fastener chain with the filamentary stringers exposed, positioned a plurality of vibrating heads over the exposed stringers in frictional engagement therewith, reciprocating the vibrating heads in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain, and moving the slide fastener chain such that the filamentary stringers sequentially pass under each of the vibrating heads. Apparatus for making gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain of the above described type includes a guide for supporting the slide fastener chain, a plurality of vibrating heads disposed over the chain in frictional engagement with the filamentary stringers, drive rollers cooperating with the guide for moving the slide fastener chain such that stringers sequentially pass under each of the vibrating heads, and a vibrator for reciprocating the vibrating heads relative to the slide fastener chain to remove severed portions of the filamentary stringers.

21 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAH 29 I974 SHEET t BF 4 GAPPED AND CLEANED SEAM-TYPE SLIDE FASTENER CHAINS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME CROSS-REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATION This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 33,419 filed Apr. 30, 1970 now abandoned.

Reference is made to application Ser. No. 33,418 filed Apr. 30, 1970, which issued Jan. 4, 1972 as US. Pat. No. 3,631,581 and is assigned to the same assignee of this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to slide fasteners and more particularly to gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chains and method and apparatus for making the same.

2. Description of the Prior Art One type of coupling element utilized in slide fasteners is formed from a continuous length of filamentary material which has been deformed into a series of head elements, an upper series of heel members and a lower series of heel members with each heelmember of the upper and lower series having a pair of spaced legs extending in a generally U-shaped configuration and lying in a respective one of upper and lower parallel planes with one leg of adjacent upper and lower heel members being interconnected by a head element. Such a continuous filamentary stringer may be manufactured from any suitable plastic material and, after being formed, may be conveniently attached to a carrier tape.

Generally, in manufacturing a slide fastener incorporating this type of stringer, the stringer is attached to an inner layer of a carrier tape by any suitable means such as by stiching or braiding, the carrier tape having an outer layer interconnected with the inner layer by a fold longitudinally disposed adjacent the head elements of the stringer such that upon interengagement of a pair of stringer elements, the two carrier tapes meet at the folds as if they were sewn together at a seam. The resulting interengaged article, which is termed seam-type slide fastener chain, can then be stored in some convenient form such as rolls.

In order to form individual slide fasteners of a given size or length, the above described continuous chain is fed through cutting machines such that a predetermined number of head elements are severed from their respective heel portions at preselected spaced intervals along the chain. This operation is known as gapping, and the spacing between adjacent gaps primarily determines the length of the individual finished slide fasteners. The continuous gapped chain, which now has the coupling or head elements severed from the heel members leaving the heel members still attached to the tapes by the stitching or braiding, is then moved to a subsequent station where the heel members are removed or cleaned from the tape.

While a number of techniques have been devised in the prior art for cleaning or removing the severed heel members from the gapped chain, they have not proven entirely satisfactory since they typically cut or tear either the stitching or the carrier tape resulting in an unsatisfactory finished product. For example, one conventional technique employs an abrasive or grinding step'which literally grinds the severed heel portions from the slide fastener chain with obvious detrimental results. While this problem has been recognized for a considerable period of time, a simple and effective technique for rapidly and efficiently removing filamentary fastening elements from the carrier tape of a seam-type slide fastener without disturbing either the tape itself or the stitching employed to bind the filament to the fastener has heretofore been unavailable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to efficiently clean or remove severed fastener elements from a seam-type slide fastener chain employing filamentary stringers.

Another object of this invention is to manufacture a gapped and'cleaned slide fastener chain having a seamtype closure.

The present invention is summarized in gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chains and method and apparatus for making the same, the slide fastener chain being generally characterized as including a carrier tape having an inner layer and an outer layer connected by a fold, a plurality of filamentary stringers each having a plurality of generally U-shaped upper and lower heel members interconnected by a plurality of head elements and being disposed adjacent the inner layer of the carrier tape with each stringer being spaced from each other by gapped and cleaned intervals along the tape, and stitching threads securing the stringers to the inner layer of the carrier tape and running continuously along the inner layer through the gapped and cleaned intervals.

The present invention has a further object in that cut heel members of a gapped seam-type slide fastener chain are removed without tearing or severing the stitching or tape that retains such members.

The present invention has a further object in the construction of a continuous seam-type slide fastener chain having spaced gapped and cleaned portions which are free from severed or torn threads.

An additional object of this invention is to construct a gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain having continuous threads which secure a plurality of filamentary stringers to a carrier tape at spaced intervals and continue through such intervals in an undisturbed manner.

A further object of the present invention is to clean or remove severed filamentary fastener elements from a seam-type slide fastener by a simple and inexpensive method.

This invention has an additional object in the construction of a simple apparatus for efficiently cleaning or removing severed filamentary fastener elements from a seam-type slide fastener without cutting or tearing the stitching threads employed to bind the filamentary stringers to the carrier tape.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for cleaning gapped seamtype slide fastener. chain according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1',

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating a method of cleaning gapped seam-type slide fastener chain according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain produced by the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the slide fastener chain of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of another gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain produced by the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the slide fastener chain of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for cleaning gapped seam-type fastener chain according to the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the present invention is adapted to operate upon a gapped continuous seam-type slide fastener chain of the type including a pair of interengaged continuous filamentary stringers 22 and 122, each having a plurality of generally U-shaped upper heel members 24-124 and a plurality of lower heel members 26-126 interconnected by a plurality of head elements 28-128. The slide fastener chain 20 additionally includes a pair of continuous carrier tapes 30 and 130, each having a portion thereof longitudinally folded upon itself to form inner and outer layers interconnected by a fold. The filamentary stringers 22 and 122 are attached to the respective inner layers of carrier tapes 30 and 130 by any suitable means such as stitching or braiding with the interengaged head elements disposed adjacent the folds of the carrier tapes such that the slide fastener chain has a seam-like outward appearance. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the stitching may take the form of a pair of continuous stitching threads 32-132, and 34-134 for each of the filamentary stringers 22-122 such that the fastener elements are securely attached to the inner layers of the carrier tapes.

After the filamentary stringers have been sewn to the carrier tapes, the continuous slide fastener chain is fed through suitable machines such that a predetermined number of head elements are severed from theirrespective heel members at preselected spaced intervals along the chain to provide a spaced series of gaps, one

within the die member so as to cleanly sever the head elements from their respective heel members. The punch is then removed from the die member, and the slide fastener chain is longitudinally displaced by a preselected distance corresponding to the approximate length of a desired finished slide fastener whereupon the above-recited gapping process is repeated. The gapped continuous slide fastener chain thereafter may be stored in bolts or reels or may be collected within a suitable bin from which the slide fastener chain is drawn for the subsequent gap cleaning operation.

With the above background material in mind and referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for cleaning gapped seamtype slide fastener chain according to the present invention. The apparatus includes a pair of parallel rollers 38 having their axes horizontally aligned in a vertical plane as shown. Rollers 38 are biased together by any suitable means, such as springs (not shown), such that the continuous slide fastener chain 20 may be inserted and held therebetween. A second set of parallel rollers 40 are disposed in the identical manner as that of rollers 38 and are similarly biased together, as by springs, for engaging the slide fastener chain 20 therebetween. Rollers 38 and 40 are respectively positioned in front of and behind a vibrating station, indicated generally at 42, with rollers 38 being partially constrained against rotation and with a driving force applied through rollers 40 by any conventional means, such as a suitable drive motor (not shown). In this manner, the gapped slide fastener chain 20 is placed in tension between rollers 38 and 40 and is moved through the vibrating station 42 at an approximately constant rate and in a direction away from rollers 38 and toward rollers 40.

Vibrating station 42 includes a pair of generally rectangular guide blocks 44 and 46, each having a flat upper surface or shoulder 48-50 which slopes downwardly from a slightly rounder upper, inner edge 52-54 (FIG. 2). Guide blocks 44 and 46 are longitudinally oriented and are mounted adjacent each other on either side of the center line of travel of the slide fastener chain 20 and cooperate to form a longitudinal channel 56 of a width sufficient to accommodate the outer layers of both of the carrier tapes 30 and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. As will become clear below, blocks 44 and 46 serve to horizontally support the inner layers of carrier tapes 30 and 130 upon which are attached the filamentary stringers 22 and 122 and to vertically support the outer layers of the carrier tapes such that the slide fastener chain is maintained in a generally T- shaped configuration as it moves through vibrating station 42. Guide blocks 44 and 46 also preclude transverse movement of the slide fastener chain during the gap cleaning process such that the severed heel members of the gapped portions of the slide fastener chain may be efficiently removed.

As seen in FIG. 1, the slide fastener chain 20 is first threaded between rollers 38 which maintain the chain in a generally fiat configuration with the outer layers of carrier tapes 30 and 130 extending to each side of the center-line of the chain. As the tape travels past rollers 38 and through vibrating station 42, however, the outer layers of the carrier tapes are pulled down or folded until they are side-by-side whereupon they are fed through the longitudinal channel 56 formed by guide blocks 44 and 46. The slide fastener chain is thus held in its generally T-shaped configuration, as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, as it travels along guide blocks 44 and 46. It should be understood that other guide members may by utilized in place of guide blocks 44 and 46 the only requirements being that the guide members provide a pair of downwardly inclined surfaces or shoulders for supporting that portion of the slide fastener chain upon which is carried the filamentary stringers and for preventing lateral movement of such portion as the chain travels through the guides. For example, a pair of flat inclined plates may be substituted for guide blocks 44 and 46 in which case they would be mounted alongside the sides of the slide fastener chain in the positions depicted by the upper surfaces 48 and 50 of the guide blocks 44 and 46, respectively, with the outer layer of carrier tapes 30 and 31 passing underneath the two plates and remaining relatively flat or horizontal as the slide fastener chain moves between the tension rollers 38 and 40.

The vibrating station 42 further includes a pair of vibrators 58 and 60 positioned one on each side of the guide blocks 44 and 46, each being adapted to impart a transverse vibratory motion to a pair of spaced rods 62 and 64, and 66 and 68, respectively, which extends from vibrators 58 and 60 into the space over guide blocks 44 and 46. Rods 62, 64, 66 and 68 are spaced apart from each other and are aligned in parallel such that their distal ends are alternately disposed over the slide fastener chain in the general area of guide blocks 44 and 46. It is noted that vibrators 58 and 60 may be of any suitable construction such as an electric motor linked to the rods by a camming mechanism such that the two rods of each vibrator are periodically displaced through a single cycle of transverse movement upon each revolution of the electric motor. Thus, any of various conventional techniques may be employed for imparting the desired vibratory movement to the rods,

whereby vibrator 58 moves rods 62 and 64 left-to-right,.

then right-to-left, etc., while vibrator 60 similarly moves rods 66 and 68 with rods 62 and 64 moving in the opposite direction from rods 66 and 68. In this manner, adjacent rods may move in opposite directions so as to maintain proper alignment of the slide fastener chain upon guide blocks 44 and 46 during operation, as will be more fully described below.

Each of the rods 62 and 68 extend from vibrators 58 and 60, respectively, to a point beyond the opposite side of the slide fastener so as to completely cover both filamentary stringers 22 and 122 (see FIG. 2). Each of the rods 64 and 66 are shorter than rods 62 and 68 and extend in similar fashion from vibrators 58 and 60, respectively, to a point just beyond the center line of the slide fastener chain so as to cover only a respective one of the stringers 22 and 122 (see FIG. 4).

Mounted upon the undersurface of the distal ends of rods 62 and 68 is a respective one of a pair of vibrating heads 70 and 72. Vibrating heads 70 and 72 are identical and only vibrating head 70 will be described in detail. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, vibrating head 70 is generally rectangular and has a length greater than the total transverse dimension of interengaged filamentary stringers 22 and 122 and a width equal to the width of its respective vibrating rod. Vibrating head 70 has a flat upper surface which is attached to the undersurface of the end of vibrating rod 62 by any suitable means such as screws, welding, etc. It is noted that the vibrating heads 70 and 72 need not be separately manufactured from rods 62 and 68, respectively, and may be integrally formed with the rods if so desired.

Vibrating head additionally has flat side walls with the longer side walls tapering from a point intermediately down from the top surface to a gradually rounded apex 74 as shown in FIG. 3. The cross-section of vibrating head 70 is constant throughout its length such that apex 74 is generally parallel to the plane in which filamentary stringers 22 and I22 are held upon the upper surfaces of guide blocks 44 and 46.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, an additional pair of identical vibrating heads 78 and 80 are respectively mounted upon the ends of rods 64 and 66 in a similar manner to that of vibrating heads 70 and 72. As seen by comparing FIGS. 2 and 4, vibrating heads 78 and 80 are similar .in construction to vibrating heads 70 and 72; however, they are shorter in length by the difference in length of their respective vibrating rods 62 and 68, and 64 and 66, respectively. Vibrating heads 78 and 80 are identical, and only vibrating head 80 will be described in detail.

The longer side walls of vibrating head 80 are tapered to a generally rounded apex 84 (FIG. 5) while the outer or distal flat side wall has a rounded lower edge 88 which is contiguous with the tapered side walls to form a smooth rounded surface. In addition, the height or vertical thickness of vibrating head 80 is not constant along its length, as is the case with heads 70 and 72, so that the apex 84 is obliquely disposed with respect to the plane of filamentary stringers 22 and 122, its bottom edge being lowest at the rounded edge 88 and gradually sloping upward toward its proximal end as viewed in FIG. 4.

Rods 62, 64, 66 and 68 are biased by any suitable means, such as springs 90, 92, 94 and 96, respectively, such that a relatively small downwardly directed force will be transmitted through the rods to the vibrating heads 70, 72, 78 and 80 so as to bias the heads against the upper surface of filamentary stringers 22 and 122.

In operation, a gapped continuous seam-type slide fastener chain is threaded between restraining rollers 38, and the outer layers of the carrier tapes are pulled down to form a T-shaped configuration with the inner layers, upon which are mounted the interengaged filamentary stringers, forming the horizontal portion of the T and the outer layers of the tape forming the vertical leg thereof. The slide fastener chain is thence fed in its T-configuration through slot 56 between guide blocks 44 and 46 and under vibrating heads 70, 72, 78 and 80 and then is spread flat and threaded between drive rollers 40. When power is applied to the drive rollers 40, the gapped slide fastener is moved under tension through vibrating station 43 whereupon the severed heel members at the gapped areas are removed by the vibratory motion of heads 70, 72, 78 and 80 imparted thereto through rods 62, 64, 66 and 68 by vibrators 58 and 60.

Referring more specifically to the operation of the vibrating heads, as the slide fastener chain is moved along guide blocks 44 and 46, the interengaged filamentary stringers 22-122 first pass under vibrating head 70 whereupon the apex 74 of the head frictionally engages the upper heel members 24-124. The reciprocal motion of vibrating head 70 thus exerts equal and opposite forces to both filamentary stringers at the area of contact of apex 74 causing that portion of the stringers under the apex to rapidly vibrate. As the gapped area of the slide fastener chain passes under vibrating head 70, the down-wardly directed force transmitted from biasing spring 90 causes the head to push against the slide fastener chain such that the two sides of the chain are moved down against the sloping upper surfaces 48 and 50 of the guide blocks 44 and 46 and are thereby slightly separated. The resulting angular position of the two sides of the slide fastener chain causes the generation of an outwardly directed force component by the vibrating head 70 acting upon the filamentary stringers 22 and 122. As seen in FIG. 2, the outwardly directed net force produced by the vibratory motion of tool 70 acts upon the severed heel members 24-124 to move them out from their initial positions after gapping (as shown by the dotted lines) under stitching threads 32-132 and 34-134. In this manner, all of the previously severed heel members will be loosened from their stitching threads and a number of such heel members will be removed as the chain passes under vibrating head 70.

Continued movement of the slide fastener chain along guide blocks 44 and 46 causes the severed heel members, which are previously been partially removed by vibrating head 70, to pass under vibrating head 80 as shown in FIG. 4. Due to the oblique nature of apex 84 and the shorter length of vibrating head 80, the rounded lower edge 88 operates to directly impart an outwardly directed force to severed heel members 24 as they pass under the head such that they are knocked out from under stitching threads 32 and 34. In other words, the rounded edge 88 abuts severed portions of heel members 24 as they pass through the vibrating station to drive the same outwardly from their loosened positions on the carrier tape whereby they are removed from the chain. At this same time, the inclined lower edge of apex 84 frictionally engages heel members 124 such that the reciprocal motion of the vibrating rod continues to work severed heel members 124 loose while heel members 24 are being knocked out or driven from under their securing threads. Thus, at this stage of the cleaning process, most all of the severed heel members 24 will be removed or cleaned from the tape.

The slide fastener chain is then moved under vibrating head 78 which removes the severed heel members 124 from under .stitching threads 132 and 134 of carrier tape 130 in the identical manner as described above with respect to vibrating head 80. The gapped area of the slide fastener chain is thus almost completely devoid of the severed heel members 24-124 after passing under vibrating head 80. Thereafter, the chain is moved under vibrating head 72 to complete the cleaning process. 7

The operation of vibrating head 72 is identical to that of the first vibrating head 70 and results in the removal of any heel members 24-124 which may not have been removed by vibrating heads 70, 78 and 80 so as to assure the complete cleaning of the gapped areas of the chain as they pass through the vibrating station 42.

Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, there is shown a diagrammatic perspective view of a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating a gapped area of slide fastener chain 20 passing through vibrating station 42. The vibrating rods and heads have been removed in the figure so as to move clearly illustrate the method of the present invention, with the areas of contact of the apex portions of vibrating heads 70, 80, 78 and 72 respectively shown by lines A-A, BB,.CC and DD.

As the chain moves from left to right through the vibrating station, it is maintained in tension by the'cooperative action of rollers 38 and 40 and is precluded from transverse movement by guide blocks 44 and 46. When the gapped area of the slide fastener chain passes under vibrating head 70, the severed heel members 7 24-124 are displaced outwardly from their initial or gapped positions, as shown to the left of line A-A, to partially removed positions, as shown to the right of line A-A.

After the severed heel members have been thus partially removed, they are moved under vibrating head (Le, past line B-B in FIG. 6) whereupon heel members 24 are knocked out by the vibratory motion of rounded edge 88 of the vibrating head (FIG. 4) whic directly acts upon the ends of the legs of the heel members. Similarly, heel members 124 are knocked out by the vibratory motion of vibrating head 78 as the slide fastener chain passes line C-C, depicting the general area of contact of head 78. While in most cases the above described action of vibrating tools 70, 80 and 78 is sufficient to remove or clean all of the severed heel members 24-124 from the carrier tapes, in order to assure complete cleaning, the chain is moved under vibrating head 72 (line DD) which effectively acts upon both the heel members 24 and 124 and removes whatever severed members which may remain. It should be understood of course that various numbers of vibrating rods and heads may be employed for various different slide fastener chains fed through the cleaning apparatus of the present invention depending upon the particular operational characteristics desired such as the speed at which the chain passes through the vibrating station.

It is important to note that as shown in FIG. 6, the cleaned gap (illustrated to the right of line D-D) is free of severed or frayed edges, and the stitching threads 34-134 and 36-136 are unbroken and unharmed. This is a critical factor in the manufacture of quality slide fasteners since the gapped and cleaned area is at the top of the finished slide fastener and occupies a relatively prominent position when sewn in a garment. Furthermore, any frayed or loose threads may cause undesirable fouling of the slider of a completed fastener and may cause fouling of manufacturing apparatus employed subsequent to the gapping and cleaning processes such as that used to place top stops on the fastener. Thus, due to the vibratory heads 70, 72, 78 and 80 upon the severed heel members 24 and 124, the gapped slide fastener chain is efficiently cleaned while the carrier tapes as well as the stiching threads are unharmed and remain intact resulting in a high quality finished product having improved operating and aesthetic characteristics over similar prior art products.

Many of the advantages of the present invention can be seen in the above-described simple method by which gapped seam-type slide fastener chain is cleaned, which method may be summarized as including essentially the steps of supporting the slide fastener chain such that the interengaged filamentary stringers are exposed, positioning a plurality of vibrating heads over the exposed filamentary stringers in frictional engagement therewith, reciprocating the plurality of vibrating heads in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain, and moving the slide fastener chain such that the severed heel members sequentially pass under each of the plurality of vibrating heads.

A gapped and cleaned seam-type slide fastener chain 200 according to the present invention and as manufactured by the above described method and apparatus is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. As illustrated, the slide fastener chain includes a pair of continuous carrier tapes 202 and 202, each folded back upon itself at its inner edge to form first and second inner layers 204-204 and 206-206, respectively. A plurality of interengaged filamentary stringers 208-208 are each formed from a continuous plastic filament which is deformed so as to have a plurality of generally U-shaped upper heel members 210-210 and a plurality of generally U-shaped lower heel members 212-212 (FIG. 8) with each of the upper and lower heel members lying in a respective upper and lower horizontal, parallel plane. Adjacent upper and lower heel members are interconnected by one of a plurality of head elements 214-214, each of which lie in one of a like plurality of vertically disposed planes. As illustrated, lower heel members 212-212 may be shorter than upper heel members 210-210' to facilitate attachment of the formed stringers to the carriertapes, as will be described below.

The plurality of formed stringers 208-208 are attached to the carrier tapes 202-202 with lower heel members 212-212' disposed between the first and second layers 204-204 and 206-206, respectively, of carrier tapes 200-202, and upper heel members 210-210 overlying the second layer 206-206 as illustrated in FIG. 8. The stringers are held in place by any suitable means such as stitching threads 216-216 and 218-218 with threads 216-216 passing around the upper and lower heel members and through the second layer 206-206 of the carrier tapes and with threads 218-218' passing around the upper and lower heel members and through both the first and second inner layers of carrier tapes 202-202. The stitching threads 216-216' and 218-218 run continuously along the carrier tapes in an unbroken manner while the upper heel members 216-216 are removed from the tapes at spaced intervals at which the slide fastener chain has been cleaned by the method and apparatus of the present invention. It is noted that the severed lower heel members 212-212 in the gapped areas of the chain remain nested between the first and second inner layers of the carrier tapes after the cleaning process wherein they are firmly held by the cooperative action of the inner layers of the carrier tapes, the folds therebetween, and the intact stitching threads which run through such gapped areas. Thus, while the lower heel members remain after cleaning, they are prevented from undesirably interfering with the operation of the finished individual slide fasteners by the shielding action inherently provided by the dual layer construction of the carrier tapes 202-202.

As seen in FIG. 7, the gapped and cleaned areas of the slide fastener chain are free of any frayed or torn edges and the stitching threads continue unbroken through the gap such that after the chain is cut into individual slide fasteners, the cleaned areas, which are at the top of the finished product, will not appear worn, will be extremely flexible and can be easily sewn into a garment without fear of having loose threads detract from its appearance. In addition, due to the folded nature of the carrier tapes of the seam-type slide fastener chain illustrated in FIG. 7, it is extremely important not to cut or sever the stitching threads during the gap cleaning process so that the folded layers of the carrier tapes are prevented from unraveling after the individstitching threads are left intact after cleaning resulting in gapped and cleaned areas which are not prone to unraveling and retain their original folded configuration. This, of course, further enhances the aesthetic quality of the completed product and makes it easier to install into a garment.

Another seam-type slide fastener chain cleaned by the method and apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally at 300 in FIGS. 9 and 10. The slide fastener chain of FIGS. 9 and 10 is similar to that of FIGS. 7 and 8 and identical numerals with 100 added thereto will be used to describe correspondingly similar structure.

As illustrated, the slide fastener chain 300 includes a pair of continuous carrier tapes 302 and 302, each folded back upon itself at its inner edge to form an inner layer 304-304. A plurality of interengaged filamentary stringers 308-308 are each formed from a continuous plastic filament which is deformed so as to have a plurality of generally U-shaped upper heel members 310-310 and a plurality of generally U-shaped lower heel members 312-312 with each of the upper and lower heel members lying in a respective upper and lower horizontal, parallel plane. Adjacent upper and lower heel members are interconnected by one of a plurality of head elements 314-314, each of which lie in one of a like plurality of vertically disposed planes. Each of the upper and lower heel members of slide fastener chain 300 has substantially identical dimensions, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

The plurality of formed stringers 308-308 are attached to the carrier tapes 302-302 with the lower heel members 312-312 overlying the inner layer 304-304 of the carrier tape 302-302 as illustrated in FIG. 10. The stringers are held in place by any suitable means such as stitching threads 316-316 and 318-318 with both of the threads passing around the upper and lower heel members and through the inner layer 304-304 of the carrier tape. The stitching threads 316-316 and 318-318 run continuously along the carrier tapes in an unbroken manner while the upper and lower heel members 310-310 and 312-312, respectively, are removed from the tapes at spaced intervals at which the slide fastener chain has been gapped and cleaned by the method and apparatus of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 9, the gapped and cleaned areas of the slide fastener chain are free of any frayed or torn edges and the stitching threads run continuously through the gap such that after the chain is cut into individual slide fasteners, the cleaned areas will not appear worn, will be extremely flexible and can be easily sewn into a garment.

It should be understood that the portions of the cleaned and gapped slide fastener chain illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9 containing the intact filamentary stringers may be of and desired length and may be separated by a suitable gapped area in accordance with the desired dimensions of individual finished slide fasteners. In addition, the method and apparatus for cleaning gapped slide fastener chain according to the present invention may be employed in conjunction with numerous other slide fastener chain configurations which present a seam-like outer appearance and indlude similar filamentary stringers.

Thus, the apparatus of the present invention rapidly and effeciently removes severed heel members from' gapped seam-type slide fastener chains in accordance with the above described method so as to produce gapped and cleaned slide fastener chains wherein the gapped areas are flexible, free from severed or frayed threads and are not prone to unraveling.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: 1. A method of cleaning gapped seam-like slide fastener chain of the type having a pair of interengaged filamantary stringers, each having a plurality of heel members interconnected by a plurality of head elements, each filamentary stringer being attached to an inner layer of a carrier tape having an outer layer interconnected with the inner layer by a fold longitudinally disposed adjacent the head elements, and each filamentary stringer having a plurality of adjacent heel members severed from their respective head elements at spaced intervals to form a plurality of gapped areas, the method comprising the steps of:

supporting the slide fastener chain such that the int'erengaged filamentary stringers are exposed;

positioning a plurality of vibrating heads over the exposed filamentary stringers in frictional engagement therewith;

reciprocating said plurality of vibrating heads in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain; and

moving the slide fastener chain such that the severed heel members sequentially pass under each of said plurality of vibrating heads.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said positioning step includes biasing said plurality of vibrating heads against the exposed filamentary stringers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said reciprocating step includes reciprocating a first plurality of vibrating heads and reciprocating a second plurality of vibrating heads such that the first and second plurality of vibrating heads move in opposite directions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said supporting step includes folding the slide fastener such that the inner layers of the carrier tapes and the filamentary stringers are horizontally disposed and the outer layers are vertically disposed to form a generally T-shaped configuration.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said positioning steps includes positioning a first plurality of vibrating heads completely across said horizontally disposed filamentary stringers, and positioning a second plurality of vibrating heads across a portion of said horizontally disposed filamentary stringers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said moving step includes pulling the slide fastener chain between a pair of drive rollers having their axes horizontally aligned in a vertical plane.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said moving step further includes restraining the slide fastener chain between a pair of constraining roller having their axes horizontally aligned in a vertical plane such that said restraining step cooperates with said pulling step for bers interconnected by a plurality of head elements,

each filamentary stringer being attached to an inner layer of a carrier tape having an outer layer interconnected with the inner layer by a fold longitudinally disposed adjacent the head elements, and each filamentary stringer having a plurality of adjacent heel members severed from their respective head elements at spaced intervals to form a plurality of gapped areas, comprising means for supporting the slide fastener chain such that the filamentary stringers are exposed;

a plurality of vibrating heads disposed over the exposed filamentary stringers in frictional engagement therewith;

means cooperating with said supporting means for moving the slide fastener chain such that the severed heel members sequentially pass under each of said plurality of vibrating heads; and

means connected with said plurality of vibrating heads for reciprocating the same in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain whereby the severed heel members are removed from the carrier tapes.

9. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means includes a channel having shoulder means for maintaining the inner layer of each carrier tape substantially horizontal and for laterally supporting said slide fastener chain such that transverse movement thereof is limited.

10. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means includes first and second guide means extending on either side of an elongated channel to support the inner layers of the carrier tapes and to accommodate the outer layers of the same, respectively, each of said guide means having an inclined upper surface sloping away from said channel.

1 l. The invention as recited in claim 8 further including biasing means communicating with said plurality of vibrating heads for biasing said vibrating heads against the interengaged filamentary stringers.

12. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said reciprocating means includes first and second vibrating means, each connected by a plurality of vibrating rods to alternate ones of said plurality of vibrating heads.

13. The invention as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and second vibrating means reciprocate in opposite directions.

14. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said plurality of vibrating heads includes a plurality of first vibrating heads and a plurality of second vibrating heads, each of said first vibrating heads having a lower surface forming a longitudinally disposed apex in frictional engagement with both of the interengaged filamentary stringers, and each of said second vibrating heads having a lower surface forming a longitudinally disposed apex in frictional engagement with one of the interengaged filamentary stringers and having a lower edge abutting severed heel members of the other one of the interengaged filamentary stringers.

15. The invention as recited in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of second'vibrating heads is disposed adjacent each other.

16. The invention as recited in claim 15 wherein said plurality of first vibrating heads is disposed on either side of said plurality of second vibrating heads.

17. The invention as recited in claim 14 wherein said apex of each of said first vibrating heads is generally parallel to said filamentary stringers.

18. The invention as recited in claim 17 wherein said apex of each of said second vibrating heads is obliquely disposed with respect to said filamentary stringers.

19. The invention as recited in claim 18 wherein said apex of each of said first vibrating heads frictionally engages severed heel members of the slide fastener chain thereby imparting a vibratory motion thereto whereby the severed heel members are at least partially removed from the inner layers of the carrier tapes.

20. The invention as recited in claim 19 wherein said oblique apex of each of said second vibrating heads frictionally engages severed heel members of one of the interengaged filamentary stringers to loosen the same, and wherein said edge of said second vibrating heads abuts severed portions of the severed heel members of the other of the interengaged filamentary stringers to drive the same outwardly away from its initial secured position on the inner layer of the carrier tape.

21. The invention as recited in claim 20 wherein said plurality of first and second vibrating heads are disposed adjacent each other whereby the severed heel members are sequentially passed thereunder to assure removal of all of the severed heel members from the slide fastener chain. 

1. A method of cleaning gapped seam-like slide fastener chain of the type having a pair of interengaged filamantary stringers, each having a plurality of heel members interconnected by a plurality of head elements, each filamentary stringer being attached to an inner layer of a carrier tape having an outer layer interconnected with the inner layer by a fold longitudinally disposed adjacent the head elements, and each filamentary stringer having a plurality of adjacent heel members severed from their respective head elements at spaced intervals to form a plurality of gapped areas, the method comprising the steps of: supporting the slide fastener chain such that the interengaged filamentary stringers are exposed; positioning a plurality of vibrating heads over the exposed filamentary stringers in frictional engagement therewith; reciprocating said plurality of vibrating heads in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain; and moving the slide fastener chain such that the severed heel members sequentially pass under each of said plurality of vibrating heads.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said positioning step includes biasing said plurality of vibrating heads against the exposed filamentary stringers.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said reciprocating step includes reciprocating a first plurality of vibrating heads and reciprocating a second plurality of vibrating heads such that the first and second plurality of vibrating heads move in opposite directions.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said supporting step includes folding the slide fastener such that the inner layers of the carrier tapes and the filamentary stringers are horizontally disposed and the outer layers are vertically disposed to form a generally T-shaped configuration.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said positioning steps includes positioning a first plurality of vibrating heads completely across said horizontally disposed filamentary stringers, and positioning a second plurality of vibrating heads across a portion of said horizontally disposed filamentary stringers.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said moving step includes pulling the slide fastener chain between a pair of drive rollers having their axes horizontally aligned in a vertical plane.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said moving step further includes restraining the slide fastener chain between a pair of constraining roller having their axes horizontally aligned in a vertical plane such that said restraining step coopeRates with said pulling step for miving the slide fastener chain under said plurality of vibrating heads under tension.
 8. Apparatus for cleaning gapped seam-type slide fastener chain of type having a pair of interengaged filamentary stringers, each having a plurality of heel members interconnected by a plurality of head elements, each filamentary stringer being attached to an inner layer of a carrier tape having an outer layer interconnected with the inner layer by a fold longitudinally disposed adjacent the head elements, and each filamentary stringer having a plurality of adjacent heel members severed from their respective head elements at spaced intervals to form a plurality of gapped areas, comprising means for supporting the slide fastener chain such that the filamentary stringers are exposed; a plurality of vibrating heads disposed over the exposed filamentary stringers in frictional engagement therewith; means cooperating with said supporting means for moving the slide fastener chain such that the severed heel members sequentially pass under each of said plurality of vibrating heads; and means connected with said plurality of vibrating heads for reciprocating the same in a transverse direction relative to the slide fastener chain whereby the severed heel members are removed from the carrier tapes.
 9. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means includes a channel having shoulder means for maintaining the inner layer of each carrier tape substantially horizontal and for laterally supporting said slide fastener chain such that transverse movement thereof is limited.
 10. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means includes first and second guide means extending on either side of an elongated channel to support the inner layers of the carrier tapes and to accommodate the outer layers of the same, respectively, each of said guide means having an inclined upper surface sloping away from said channel.
 11. The invention as recited in claim 8 further including biasing means communicating with said plurality of vibrating heads for biasing said vibrating heads against the interengaged filamentary stringers.
 12. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said reciprocating means includes first and second vibrating means, each connected by a plurality of vibrating rods to alternate ones of said plurality of vibrating heads.
 13. The invention as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and second vibrating means reciprocate in opposite directions.
 14. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said plurality of vibrating heads includes a plurality of first vibrating heads and a plurality of second vibrating heads, each of said first vibrating heads having a lower surface forming a longitudinally disposed apex in frictional engagement with both of the interengaged filamentary stringers, and each of said second vibrating heads having a lower surface forming a longitudinally disposed apex in frictional engagement with one of the interengaged filamentary stringers and having a lower edge abutting severed heel members of the other one of the interengaged filamentary stringers.
 15. The invention as recited in claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of second vibrating heads is disposed adjacent each other.
 16. The invention as recited in claim 15 wherein said plurality of first vibrating heads is disposed on either side of said plurality of second vibrating heads.
 17. The invention as recited in claim 14 wherein said apex of each of said first vibrating heads is generally parallel to said filamentary stringers.
 18. The invention as recited in claim 17 wherein said apex of each of said second vibrating heads is obliquely disposed with respect to said filamentary stringers.
 19. The invention as recited in claim 18 wherein said apex of each of said first vibrating heads frictionally engages severed heel members of the slide fastener chain thereby imparting a vibratory motion thereto whEreby the severed heel members are at least partially removed from the inner layers of the carrier tapes.
 20. The invention as recited in claim 19 wherein said oblique apex of each of said second vibrating heads frictionally engages severed heel members of one of the interengaged filamentary stringers to loosen the same, and wherein said edge of said second vibrating heads abuts severed portions of the severed heel members of the other of the interengaged filamentary stringers to drive the same outwardly away from its initial secured position on the inner layer of the carrier tape.
 21. The invention as recited in claim 20 wherein said plurality of first and second vibrating heads are disposed adjacent each other whereby the severed heel members are sequentially passed thereunder to assure removal of all of the severed heel members from the slide fastener chain. 